Method for applying granules to a moving coated asphalt sheet to form areas having sharp leading and trailing edges

Abstract

The method for applying granules to a moving coated asphalt sheet includes selecting blend drop areas on the sheet, the remainder of the sheet comprising background areas, depositing background granule drops on portions of the background areas such that the background granule drops have generally sharp leading edges which define upstream edges of the blend drop areas and have generally fuzzy trailing edges, depositing blend drops on the blend drop areas such that the blend drops have generally sharp leading edges and generally fuzzy trailing edges which overlap the background granule drops, and then depositing background granule drops on remaining portions of the background areas. The generally sharp leading edges of the background granule drops define the trailing edges of the blend drops so that when blend drops which overlap the background granule drops are removed by inverting the sheet, blend drop areas having sharp leading and trailing edges are produced.

We claim: 
     
       1. The method for applying granules to a moving coated asphalt sheet, comprising selecting blend drop areas on the sheet, the remainder of the sheet comprising background areas, depositing background granule drops on portions of the background areas such that the background granule drops have generally sharp leading edges which define upstream edges of the blend drop areas, depositing blend drops on the blend drop areas such that the blend drops have generally sharp leading edges and having trailing edges, and then depositing background granule drops on remaining portions of the background areas. 
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 in which the generally sharp leading edges of the background granule drops define the trailing edges of the blend drops. 
     
     
       3. The method for applying granules to a moving coated asphalt sheet, comprising selecting blend drop areas on the sheet, the remainder of the sheet comprising background areas, depositing background granule drops on portions of the background areas such that the background granule drops have generally sharp leading edges which define upstream edges of the blend drop areas, depositing blend drops on the blend drop areas such that the blend drops have generally sharp leading edges and generally fuzzy trailing edges, and then depositing background granule drops on remaining portions of the background areas. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 3 in which the generally sharp leading edges of the background granule drops define the trailing edges of the blend drops. 
     
     
       5. The method for applying granules to a moving coated asphalt sheet, comprising selecting blend drop areas on the sheet, the remainder of the sheet comprising background areas, depositing background granule drops on portions of the background areas such that the background granule drops have generally sharp leading edges which define upstream edges of the blend drop areas and have generally fuzzy trailing edges, depositing blend drops on the blend drop areas such that the blend drops have generally sharp leading edges and generally fuzzy trailing edges, and then depositing background granule drops on remaining portions of the background areas. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5 in which the generally sharp leading edges of the background granule drops define the trailing edges of the blend drops. 
     
     
       7. The method for applying granules to a moving coated asphalt sheet, comprising selecting shadow areas on the sheet, the remainder of the sheet comprising background areas, depositing background granule drops on portions of the background areas such that the background granule drops have generally sharp leading edges which define upstream edges of shadow areas, depositing on the shadow areas granules for forming shadow lines such that the granules for forming shadow lines have generally sharp leading edges and have trailing edges, and then depositing background granule drops on remaining portions of the background areas. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7 in which the generally sharp leading edges of the background granule drops define the trailing edges of the granule for forming shadow lines. 
     
     
       9. The method for applying granules to a moving coated asphalt sheet, comprising selecting shadow areas on the sheet, the remainder of the sheet comprising background areas, depositing background granule drops on portions of the background areas such that the background granule drops have generally sharp leading edges which define upstream edges of shadow areas, depositing on the shadow areas granules for forming shadow lines such that the granules for forming shadow lines have generally sharp leading edges and generally fuzzy trailing edges, and then depositing background granule drops on remaining portions of the background areas. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 in which the generally sharp leading edges of the background granule drops define the trailing edges of the granule for forming shadow lines. 
     
     
       11. The method for applying granules to a moving coated asphalt sheet, comprising selecting shadow areas on the sheet, the remainder of the sheet comprising background areas, depositing background granule drops on portions of the background areas such that the background granule drops have generally sharp leading edges which define upstream edges of shadow areas and have generally fuzzy trailing edges, depositing on the shadow areas granules for forming shadow lines such that the granules for forming shadow lines have generally sharp leading edges and generally fuzzy trailing edges, and then depositing background granule drops on remaining portions of the background areas. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11 in which the generally sharp leading edges of the background granule drops define the trailing edges of the granules for forming shadow lines.